Hello Again
by believesvueo
Summary: This story takes place more than three years after Gretchen Witter and Dawson Leery parted ways. Gretchen is living in New York city, working for a music magazine while Dawson is living in Sounthern California, and attending USC majoring in Film.


It's been more than three years since they parted ways

**Hello Again**

It's been more than three years since they parted ways. So much has happened since then but Dawson Leery could not forget her or the time they spent together. Before one of his best friends, Jen died, she made him promise to go after that one girl that got away. For many people in Capeside, they would think that Jen was referring to Josephine Potter or Joey for short. But he learned long ago that Joey was just his puppy love. She was this made up fantasy of a perfect girl that she never was. The love he felt for Joey disappeared the moment he fell for Gretchen Witter. Gretchen embodied everything he was looking for and more. She never pretended to be who she wasn't. She opened his eyes to possibilities of what he can accomplish in life outside of Capeside. She believed in him and she restored his love for film making. He truly loved her if only she gave him the chance to prove to her that no matter how insurmountable the odds were, they can make it work. But she left in search of herself and to let him live a life that she felt she did not fit in.

Little did Gretchen know, she became his inspiration. And three and a half years later, and in six months, he will be graduating from USC film school, he's taking a chance. He called Pacey last weekend for her address. Dawson knew that after Gretchen graduated from Boston University, she took a job at Rolling Stones magazine in New York and has been living there since. He bought every issue that had her name in it. He tried numerous times in the past to build up the courage to come to New York and visit her but he knew that he still had nothing to show forth. He would be a college student, trying to make ends meet and in a fraternity while she's this successful editor for a magazine. The difference would still be too obvious. But now, it's different.

He's taking a chance knowing that Gretchen could slam the door on his face. After all, Pacey said that she's engaged to a lawyer. But Dawson knew that if he doesn't take this chance, he will forever wonder what might have been. If Gretchen tells him that it's too late, at least he could have a closure and move on.

He knocked lightly on her door. And the sight before him took his breath away when she opened the door.

"Dawson?"

"Hi Gretch."

"What are you doing here in New York?"

"I'm here to see you. Are you busy because I could come back tomorrow."

"No, come in Dawson. How's USC?"

"USC is everything I expected it to be and more. I'm graduating in six months."

"Wow, it's been that long?"

"Yeah, it's been three and a half years since then."

Gretchen sensing the tension in the air, got up and went to the kitchen.

"Dawson, would you like something to drink?"

"Sure, Grecth, can I have a glass of water please? Your place looks really nice. You know, I never pegged you for a trader?"

"A trader?"

"You're living in New York, the one place Boston Red Sox hate the most." Dawson said teasing her.

"Hey, just because I'm living in New York does not mean I am a Yankee fan. I'll die a Red Sox fan! Here's your water."

"Thanks Gretchen. You're probably wondering what I'm doing here right?"

"A little bit, yes."

"Gretch, I just wanted to say the things that I've always wanted to tell you but you never gave me the chance to. I know that it's probably bad timing, you being engaged and all but if I don't tell you now, I know I will regret this for the rest of my life."

"Dawson."

"No, Gretch, you have to let me finish. I deserved this opportunity. I love you. I have loved you the moment I saw you at the store. I never expected to fall in love with you, Gretch but I did. I still am in love with you. You said before, that we were at different places and that I needed to face my past in order for me to move on. You see, I already have moved on when I fell for you. I was not leaving Capeside to get away from Joey, I was leaving Capeside to build a future with you. Joey was a puppy love. She was just an image of what a childhood crush is. I loved Joey but not for the reason I thought I did. I had a hard time letting her go because I lost my best friend. What you and I had can't compare to what Joey and I had. What I had with you was real love. That's right Gretch, you're my first and only real love. I know that things happen for a reason and that you left because you wanted me to fly. And you thought that once I spread my wings, I will leave you. I wished you had given me a chance to prove you wrong. I wished that you had given us a chance. I wanted to fly with you. You said that you're afraid that I will hurt you. And that I will not love you the way I love Joey. That's where you are wrong, Gretchen Witter. After you left that summer, all I could think of was proving to you that I am more worthy of any other man you will meet. And that I am not a boy, but a man. When Jen died, she told me to go after the girl who stole my heart. And it took me three and a half years to finally get up the courage to do that. I want you to see the man that I have become. All my dreams are coming true and you're the only one that's missing. If you tell me that I'm too late and that you don't love me. And I promised to leave you alone."

"Dawson, I'm sorry."

"Okay, I understand, I am too late. I will go now."

Dawson got up and started to walk towards the front door until he felt a hand pulling him back.

"You didn't let me finish. I wanted to say I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you when Jen died. Dawson, I have always been proud of you. I have never once thought you were not worthy to be with me. If anything, I thought I wasn't worthy to be with you. When I left, I know you will disagree with me, but it was the best choice for the both of us at that time. You were leaving something behind and moving on to a better place. And I was coming back to a place that I ran away from and trying to figure out who I was. When I was in Capeside, I knew I didn't belong there anymore and leaving Capeside meant leaving you. Yes, maybe I was protecting myself because I knew you were going to be somebody important someday and I will just be holding you back."

"Gretch, you never held me back. If anything, you pushed me forward. When I imagine my future, I saw us, together. You will never be less than who I am. You will always be more to me. You're my soul mate, Gretch. Can you honestly say that the person you are engaged to, the one you are going to marry, completes you? I can tell you that you complete me"

"It's funny, Steve asked me, the fiancée you're referring to, asked me if he was everything I have wanted in a man. And I couldn't answer him. He told me that he felt for awhile that my heart didn't belong to him. He said that he loved me so much that he thought that was enough. But he also realized that he loves me so much that he wanted me to be happy. You see Dawson, you stole my heart and I could never get it back even when I tried to. You were never just a boy to me, you were always a man."

"So what do we do Gretch?"

"I don't know Dawson."

"I know that I still have six months left of school but I want to try. Also, I didn't tell you this but I got a 3 picture deal with Universal Pictures. I don't have to be in LA to make my movies. I could move here, to New York. I mean, the Tribeca Film Festival is getting bigger every year."

"Oh, Dawson, I always knew you were going to be a film maker. Congratulations. If you move to New York, you see that might not work because the magazine is sending me to our Los Angeles office. They have been asking me for awhile now but I was afraid that I would run into you and fall in love with you even more."

"So, you're saying that you're still in love with me Gretchen Witter?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying Dawson Leery."

Dawson got up from the couch and walked over to Gretchen. He looked into her hazel green eyes and touched her face, the one he had missed the past three and a half years.

"You are so beautiful, do you know that?"

"I don't mind hearing it again and again from you."

"Grecth, we are going to make this work this time. I love you and I want to be with you and only you."

"I love you too Dawson. Now, will you kiss me already?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Dawson leaned in and captured her lips. They were soft and sweet as he remembered them to be. They were both lost in the kiss until they needed to break for air.

"So when do you need to move to LA?"

"I'm moving next weekend. I already have an apartment there and the movers are taking my stuff there, including my car. How long are you in New York?"

"I'm here all weekend. I fly out Sunday night. So do you think you can show me around the city?"

"Sure, how about we start now? Let's go to dinner, I'm starving. Then we can catch a play or maybe go to a bar and check out some new bands playing in the city."

"I'd like that. Am I dressed like I'm from around here?"

"You look fine Dawson. Let's go."

Dawson grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him.

"I love you, Gretch."

"I love you too Dawson."


End file.
